Outboard motor repair stand



March 9, 1965 R. FREDRICKSON 3,172,653

OUTBOARD MOTOR REPAIR STAND Filed March 1, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Rosam- FREDRICKOON ATTORNEY R. FREDRICKSON March 9, 1965 Filed March 1, 1962 OUTBOARD MOTOR REPAIR STAND Hill? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENIOR ROBERT F mzomcmsou ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,172,653 OUTBOARD MOTOR REPAIR STAND Robert Fredrickson, RD. 1, Ashville Bay, N.Y. Filed Mar. 1, 1962, Ser. No. 176,676 1 Claim. (Cl. 269-61) This invention relates to a work stand for use in mounting motors, such as outboard motors, and enables convenient assembly, adjustment, and repair or replacement of the various parts thereof.

It is a well known fact that outboard motors are all mounted in the same general manner; that is, by means of one or more adjustable clamps which form an integral pivotal part :of the moto and are designed to be secured to and engage the transom or stem rail of a boat. This fact appears to have resulted in the general use of any convenient rack or rail as a support for such motors when required repairs were made. Of course, one great disadvantage of such a support is that the motor is usually in an upright position, such as it would occupy in the boat. In this position, access to all the parts is prevented except for those parts which may be accessible by forwardly tilting the motor. This arrangement for forwardly tilting the moto is for the purpose of enabling withdrawal of the propeller from the water when a motor is attached to a boat and also to permit modified tilting in order that the motor may be used to operate a boat in shallow water.

Here and there, various shops and marinas have put together some structure embodying pipes, bars, or wooden stands on which to mount an outboard motor. It is true that some of these stands have been equipped with rollers or wheels to facilitate movement into and out of a work area. It is also known that stands have been provided which would enable swinging a motor, when mounted thereon, into any of several positions for work access to the various parts. However, since an outboard motor is an unbalanced device, except when in position of use, all of the stands that enable swinging adjustment of a motor were required to be anchored to a floor or some other fixed member, such as a work bench. The reason for this is clear since all motor clamps are designed and located to support a motor in an upright position which is the normal operative position thereof. These clamps are not so located as to balance a motor when it is rotated or swung into a position where the heavy motor portion overbalances the tubular drive housing and propeller. It is believed that little or no effort has been made to date to design a stand that would adequately serve to support an outboard motor in such manner as to enable complete accessibility for examination, replacement, and re pair of all parts thereof.

The present invention therefore has for its principal object the provision [of an outboard motor work stand that enables adjusting such a motor to any and all positions that may be required in the examination, replacement, and repair of parts thereof.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a work stand that so mounts an outboard motor that it can be turned or swung into any of a variety of positions without overbalancing the stand and without the necessity of anchoring the stand.

A further and important object of the invention lies in the provision of a work stand having a rotatable bar with which the motor clamps are engaged and that permits full 360 motor rotation.

Still another and most important object of the invention lies in the provision of means by which an offset bar is so arranged that, with an outboard motor mounted thereon, said bar may be rotated without appreciably disturbing the motor balance w hereby any position of the motor in nowise affects stability of the stand.

Additionally, it is an object of utmost importance that the motor mounting bar not only be capable of rotation to any degree, but also that said bar and the motor mounted thereon be automatically held against position change, vibration, or movement while repairs or other changes are being made to the motor.

It is a final object of the invention to provide a work stand that is of simple construction, easy to operate, and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantage of the invention will be more fully understood from a consideration of the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings; and in which FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a work stand for outboard motors embodying one form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the stand, taken substantially on the line 22 of FIG. 5, and shows, in dash line, the upright position of a motor carried thereby;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 and shows, in dash line, that the motor, when rotated still appnoximates a balance with respect to the axis of rotation of the motor carrying bar;

FIG. 4 is a direct side elevational view of the stand showing, in general, a rotational operator and brake;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the complete stand;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line 66 of FIG. 4 and shows the mechanism for rotating and controlling rotational movement of the motor carrying bar;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line 77 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line 8-8 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the brake shoe and associated parts.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 16 is employed to generally designate a work stand embodying the invention. The base of the stand consists of a frame 11 which, as shown, comprises four downwardly opening channels 12 that are welded or otherwise permanently joined at their corners. Pairs of frames 13 each consist of converging members 14 that meet at their upper ends and give the appearance of inverted Vs. The lower ends of the members 14 are welded or otherwise permanently secured to corresponding corners of the frame 11. At the point of jointure of the members of one frame, designated as A, a pillow block bearing 16 is mounted. The members of the other frame, designated as B, at their point of meeting mount a horizontal plate 17 on which is secured a housing 18 that encloses a combined operator and brake for a motor mounting bar 19, hereinafter described in detail.

The bar 19 consists of a channel 21 in which is located a wooden block 22. The ends of the channel are welded or otherwise rigidly joined to corresponding ends of right angle arms 23. These arms are of identical length and, by means of stub shafts 24 and 26, are mounted in the pillow block and the housing 18. It is to be particularly noted that the arms 23 are of such length that, when the clamping devices of an outboard motor are applied to the channel block 21, a motor 27, as suggested by dash lines (see FIG. 2), is substantially in balance on the stand. When it is desired to examine and make repairs on a portion of the motor not available from the top thereof, the bar is rotated to a position such, for example, as that suggested in FIG. 3. Herein, the bar, by the swinging movement of arms 23, has caused the motor to swing about the shafts 24 and 26, bringing the heavy upper portion of the motor to one side of the pivotal point of the arms, and this portion is counterbalanced by the tubular housing, drive shaft, and prosame-s peller extending in the opposite direction. Regardless of the extent of rotation of the bar in a circular path about the shafts 24 and 26, the motor will, for all practical purposes, swing about these shafts in such manner as to be substantially in balance in any and all positions. If there is any slight unbalance, it is insufficient to in any way affect the stability of the stand under all conditions of motor repair work. It will be appreciated that all outboard motors are so designed that the mounting clamps thereof are best suited to the weight distribution of the motor, regardless of whether such motor is small and of low horsepower rating, or whether it is large and of sufficient horsepower to be used on cruisers. Thus, the present stand is entirely satisfactory to mount any and all size and weight outboard motors and enable full circle rotation of the motor without appreciable unbalanc e.

Attention is now particularly directed to FIGS. 6 to 9, inclusive, wherein is shown the mechanism for swinging the bar 19 in a circular path about the axis of rotation of shafts 24 and 26. Referring more particularly to FIG. 6, it will be noted that opposite sides of the housing 18 are fitted with cap plates 28 which mount bearings 29. These bearings are preferably located exteriorly of the housing to provide adequate space therewithin for operative parts and without the necessity of unduly enlarging the housing. As may be seen in this figure, one end of the shaft 26 projects sufficiently beyond the innermost bearing 29 to enable its being secured to one of the arms 23. Mounted in the housing, on shaft 2 5, is a gear 30, having circumferential teeth 31. Immediately adjacent this gear is a brake drum 32. For convenience, both the gear and drum are secured to the shaft 26 by a suitable key 33.

As is shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the housing 18 also encloses a worm gear 34 which is mounted on and keyed to a shaft 35. One end of this shaft extends through the housing wall 36 and terminates in an externally located bearing 37. The other end of shaft 35 extends through the opposite housing wall 38 and projects through an exterior mounting bearing 39. This end of the shaft 35 may terminate in or be fitted with a suitable crank or handle 41. Teeth 42 of the worm gear 34 mesh with the teeth 31 of the gear 30. It is apparent that, since one of the arms 23, integral with the mounting bar 19, is secured to shaft 26, the bar may be rotated through a circular path about the axis of rotation of the shaft 26 by turning the crank or handle 41 in one direction or the other.

The top of the housing is closed by a cover 43 which may be secured to the housing walls in any suitable manner, as by screws 44. Toward one side, the cover 43 is recessed, as at 46. A brake shoe 47 (see FIG. 9) includes an upwardly arched under surface which is fitted with brake lining 48. The curvature of the lining, as defined by the arched surface, is an arc of the circle, described by the outer surface of the drum 32. Thus, the lining 48 will have full contact with the drum perimeter. The top of the shoe 47 includes a raised central portion 49 which is adapted to fit into the recess 46 of the cover 43. At the ends of the shoe, beyond the portion 49, like openings 51 are made which receive small springs 52. Following assembly of the shaft, gear 38, and drum 32, together with the worm gear and crank, the brake shoe is set in place, the lining resting directly on the drum. When the cover 43 is placed on the housing, and screws :4 are drawn down, the springs 52 serve to urge the brake shoe slightly downwardly, thus providing frictional contact of the lining 48 with the drum. It is obvious that the frictional Contact of the brake may be changed, as desired, by merely increasing or decreasing the capacity of the springs.

The drive and brake structure constitutes an important part of the invention and, in cooperation with the offset motor mounting bar 19, enables mounting and maneuvering an outboard motor into any position that may be necessary to gain easy access to various parts thereof for servicing or replacement.

When the motor has been mounted on and clamped to the bar 19, and is then rotated to a position such, for example, as suggested in FIG. 3, it is essential that this motor be held against any tendency to move or vibrate while work is being performed on it. Of course, the

worm gear 34 and gear 30 prevent freedom of swinging a movement of the mounting bar and the motor, but there must be adequate play between the sets of teeth of these gears for convenient operation. Through the use of the brake shoe 47, and its application of a constant pressure on the drum 32, it becomes impossible for the motor and mounting bar to vibrate and thus move into any other position than the one desired and set by rotation of the crank 41.

By reason of the substantial balancing of a motor through the use of an offset mounting bar, together with a reduction gear drive, and in conjunction with a constantly applied brake, it is possible for anyone to manipulate the motor to a desired position and work on it, without fear of the stand tipping over or the motor swinging to a position other than the one set.

Although applicant has shown only one form of his invention, it will be apparent that certain modifications may be made and are contemplated insofar as these modifications are within the spirit and scope of the invention as set out in the annexed claim.

Having thus set forth my invention, what I claim as new and for which I desire protection by Letters Patent is:

An examination and repair stand for an outboard motor comprising a base, mounted V-shaped upstanding frames secured to opposite ends of said base, a pillow block bearing at the apex of one of said frames, a housing at the apex of the other of said frames, stub shafts carried by said pillow block and a bearing on said housing, identical arms extending in a common direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said shafts, a motor mounting bar joined at its ends to the free ends of said arms, a reduction drive mounted in said housing, a crank for operating said drive and rotating said bar and a motor attached thereto, one of said shafts projecting into said housing and mounting a drive gear and drum, a brake shoe yieldingly engaged with said drum provided frictional deterrent to inadvertent rotation of said bar and a worm gear mounted on said crank and being engaged with said drive gear.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,003,821 11/11 Hathorn 269-61 1,431,532 10/22 Lucas et al. 26950 1,812,585 6/31 Collins 2696l 2,513,959 7/50 Onsrud 269-78 X 2,747,263 5/56 Green 269-51 3,026,105 3/62 Christianson 26977 3,063,706 11/62 Thurston et al 26961 ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner.

THOMAS J. HICKEY, Examiner, 

